Grace "Nana" Killough

Grace "Nana" Killough, 86, of Amarillo, passed into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father on January 24, 2022.

Visitation will be held at the Schooler Funeral Home at 4100 S. Georgia on Friday, January 28th from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM.  Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 29, 2022 in the funeral home’s Brentwood Chapel at 10:00 AM with Pastor Joe Anderjack officiating. Burial will be at Restlawn Cemetery in Hereford, Texas.  Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home.

Grace was born December 10, 1935 to Robert and Johnnie Faye Fotheringham in Hutchinson County, Texas.  She attended school in Hereford, Texas and graduated from Hereford High School in 1954. After high school, she attended Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing in Amarillo and received her diploma in nursing in 1957.

Grace’s life-long career as a Registered Nurse started at Plains Memorial Hospital in Dimmitt,  but during her career she also had  opportunities to work for Dr. Bishoff in his practice and for Canterbury Villa Nursing Home, both in Dimmitt. Grace began working for Dimmitt Independent School district as a school nurse in 1969, where she used her nursing skills and compassion, mixed with a little dose of tough love, to care for students in the district until her retirement in 1996.

Grace met the love of her life, S.B “Sam” Killough, in Dimmitt in 1967. Their love story began one winter evening in Dimmitt when Sam and his brother, James, were driving around and Sam spotted Grace coming into town from Hereford.  The brothers followed her so Sam could ask her out, and that night their story began. Grace and Sam were married on July 27, 1969 in Dimmitt, Texas.  Their favorite place to spend time together was at the lake, fishing, preparing and eating their catch. They had two daughters, Faye Gill and Christy Velasquez. Sam and Grace remained married until his death on March 10, 1983.

Grace was a resident of Dimmitt for thirty-nine years and moved to Amarillo shortly after her retirement in 1996, where she lived until her death.

Grace was a loving mother, who dedicated her life to raising her two daughters.  She instilled in them a love for God, value for higher education and knowledge of everyday things.  When her daughters married, she loved her son-in-laws, Arthur Velasquez and Patrick Gill, like they were her own children.  However, one of her greatest joys was in caring for and loving on her grandchildren, Samuel and Saul Velasquez and Ryan, Gracie and Emily Gill.

Grace was an avid gardener, who loved growing her own fruits and vegetables and canning them for future use.  She was a talented seamstress and enjoyed crafting.  She spent many hours in her retired years crocheting potholders and making fleece blankets for family and friends.  Grace loved to cook and enjoyed finding and sharing new recipes with her friends. Her grandchildren would say that no one could make a grilled cheese sandwich like their Nana.  She was known by many for her banana bread - a tastier loaf was hard to come by.

Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Sam and her parents, Robert and Johnnie Faye.  She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Faye and Patrick Gill and Christy and Arthur Velasquez and five grandchildren, Samuel Velasquez, Saul Velasquez, Ryan Gill, Gracie Gill and Emily Gill, all of Amarillo.  She is also survived by her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, James and Rhonda Killough of Taylor, Texas and Bobby and Linda Killough of Kyle, Texas and many nieces and nephews. Grace is also remembered by two special and dear friends, Carol Lantz of Lubbock, Texas, who she met in nursing school and Nick Banks, of Waxahachie, Texas, who she met at church in Runaway Bay, Texas.

The family suggests that memorials be made in Grace’s name to Storybridge Amarillo or a charitable organization of your choosing.